|
Home > Free Unit Studies >
This is a free thematic unit provided by the Homeschool Learning Network.
View more free unit studies, learn more about our Subscription Program,
or browse Unit Studies to purchase!
Exploring Weather
Look through your window right now. What's the weather like outside? Learn about weather with ten lessons and activities, plus a bonus lesson that's out of this world!
Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a specific place and time. Weather is different from climate in that weather is limited to conditions that occur over short periods of time. Climate refers to conditions experienced by a region over a number of years, usually 30 to 50 years.
Almost all weather occurs in the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere. The troposphere extends from the surface of the Earth to about 11 miles (17 kilometers) at the Equator and 4 to 5 miles (6 to 8 kilometers) at the poles.
Weather is caused by heat from the sun. When the Earth's axis is tilted toward the sun, the days are long, the sun rises high in the sky, and the weather becomes warm. When the Earth's axis is tilted away from the sun, the days are short, the sun is low in the sky, and the weather turns cold. Geographic features, such as mountains and large bodies of water, also affect the weather.
Weather consists of a number of elements, including:
- Temperature-the degree of heat in the air
- Precipitation-crystals or drops that fall from clouds to the ground in forms such as rain and snow
- Wind-air that moves across or horizontally
- Clouds-particles of water or ice suspended in air
- Humidity-the amount of water vapor in the air
- Air Pressure-the amount of force of air over an area
Studying Weather
Interest in meteorology, the science of weather and weather forecasting, dates back thousands of years. In the 4th century B.C., Aristotle wrote what is believed to be the first study on weather forecasting. In 1820, Henrich Wilhelm Brandes, a German astronomer and physicist, made the first attempt to chart weather in Europe using data gathered from historical reports over a wide area. The invention of the telegraph later enabled the rapid collection and transmittal of weather information from weather stations.
Today, meteorologists use a host of devices to study and forecast weather, including weather satellites, rockets, computers, and radar.
Learn More!
General resources about weather
LESSON 1:
Track the Weather
Concepts:
You will learn about weather changes over a period of time.
Lesson:
Use your local newspaper, television weather reports, or online sources to track the weather in your area each day for one week. Record the results on
chart.
Extension for grades 3 and up: Track the weather conditions in two cities in different states or countries for one week. Record the results on a
chart.
Additional Resources
LESSON 2:
Weather Words
Concepts:
You will learn weather-related vocabulary words.
Lesson:
Do you know what a gully washer is? Learn the meaning of this term and other weather-related words. Create your own weather glossary by researching and writing the definitions of the words on
a worksheet . When you have finished,
check your answers.
Check your knowledge of weather terms with an online weather vocabulary quiz.
Additional Resources
LESSON 3:
Weather Safety
Concepts:
You will learn about safety information for dangerous weather conditions.
Lesson:
What should you do when you see lightning? When there is a tornado warning? Study precautions for various weather conditions from online sources. Create a booklet of safety tips for your family about the following weather conditions: hurricanes, floods, lightning, tornadoes, winter storms, heat.
Additional Resources
LESSON 4:
Weather Symbols
Concepts:
You will learn about symbols for weather conditions.
Lesson:
Study weather symbols. Create a weather report using weather symbols for the words that describe various weather conditions. Have a friend or another homeschooler figure out the weather conditions by interpreting the symbols on your report.
When you have finished your report, check your knowledge of weather symbols with this game!
Additional Resources
LESSON 5:
Tornado In a Jar and Other Fun Weather Experiments
Concepts:
You will learn about the science of weather.
Lesson:
Show what a tornado looks like in an activity that uses a quart jar with a lid, liquid dishwashing soap and food coloring!
Complete other hands-on fun experiments and learning activities about weather using common household materials. Discuss and record your results.
Additional Resources
LESSON 6:
Weather Scavenger Hunts
Concepts:
You will learn information about weather.
Lesson:
Complete printable and online Internet scavenger hunts to learn many fascinating facts about weather around the world!
Additional Resources
LESSON 7:
Fahrenheit and Celsius
Concepts:
You will learn about temperature conversion formulas.
Lesson:
On a worksheet, use the math formulas to convert Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature readings. Check your answers with the answer key.
Additional Resources
LESSON 8:
Wild Weather WebQuests
Concepts:
You will learn about different types of severe weather conditions.
Lesson:
Complete WebQuests about dangerous storms. Activities involved in the WebQuests include researching information from online sources and books and developing reports using multimedia materials. The WebQuests may be completed individually or in small groups.
Additional Resources
LESSON 9:
Weather Stories
Concepts:
You will learn about weather experiences.
Lesson:
Read stories written by people across the United States and in other countries about their experiences with weather conditions. The stories were collected as part of a weather thinkquest created by sixth-grade students.
After reading some of the stories, write a story, essay or poem about a dramatic, unusual or funny weather experience faced by you and/or your family.
Additional Resources
LESSON 10:
Weather Stories
Concepts:
You will learn about weather experiences.
Lesson:
Learn about a career in weather! Visit a meteorologist who works for a local television station, radio station, or newspaper. Use information you have learned in this unit to prepare questions you might ask the meteorologist. After the visit, write a thank-you letter to the meteorologist. Include in your letter information that describes what you learned and what you enjoyed most about the visit. You may want to plan the trip with other homeschoolers.
Additional Resources
Bonus Lesson!:
Martian Weather Report
Concepts:
You will learn about weather on another planet.
Lesson:
What is the weather like on the planet Mars? Learn the answer to that question and more information about Mars! Complete several printable online activities that study the weather and climate conditions on Mars.
Additional Resources
Article by Louis Lewis, HLN Curriculum Development
Article © Homeschool Learning Network, All Rights Reserved.
|
